In this conversation, Susanna shares her journey from a working-class background to becoming the Head of Marketing at a charity focused on social mobility. She reflects on the impact of her upbringing, education, and the encouragement she received from a teacher that changed her trajectory. Susanna discusses the challenges of navigating class perceptions in professional spaces, the importance of self-funding her university education, and her experiences working in historic houses. She also addresses her parenting choices and the perceptions of sending her child to an independent school, highlighting the complexities of class and identity.

We explore the nuances of class in the workplace, particularly in marketing and PR. They discuss the perceptions of class, the divide between marketing and PR professionals, and the challenges faced by those from working-class backgrounds. The conversation also touches on the importance of cultural capital, social mobility, and the impact of unpaid internships. Susanna shares her experiences and insights on how confidence plays a crucial role in overcoming class barriers and encourages young people to pursue their ambitions without being limited by their background.

Key Takeaways:

- Susanna identifies as working class despite her current status.

- Education played a crucial role in her journey.

- Encouragement from a teacher was pivotal in her life.

- Self-funding university was a conscious decision to avoid burdening her parents.

- Navigating middle-class spaces can be challenging for those from working-class backgrounds.

- Her experiences in historic houses shaped her understanding of class.

- Parenting choices reflect her desire to provide better opportunities for her child.

- Class perceptions influence how individuals are treated in professional settings.

- Marketing became a passion after being encouraged to explore it as a career.

- Susanna's story highlights the importance of social mobility and access to opportunities. PR and communications is often seen as a middle-class domain.

- Marketing professionals tend to have a more gritty approach compared to PR.

- Experiences of humiliation can arise from class differences in professional settings.

- Unpaid internships perpetuate class disparities in the workplace.

- Social mobility is influenced by cultural capital and access to opportunities.

- Confidence is a key differentiator in overcoming class barriers.

- Awareness of class structures can help navigate professional environments.

- Working-class individuals often face additional challenges in securing internships.

- Cultural capital can vary significantly based on geographic location.

- Everyone's voice matters in discussions about class and opportunity.

🔔 Subscribe for more inspirational stories and insights into those from working class and low socioeconomic backgrounds!

👍 Like this if you enjoyed Susanna's journey!

🗣️ Comment below with your thoughts and questions for Susanna!

Follow Us:

- Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/initialstep.co.uk/

- Twitter - https://x.com/step_initial

- Apple podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/initial-step/id1758128198

- Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5ZizcM5a2HEQKcaAPToysk?si=79fb1e8a830a4ec9

- Linktree - https://linktr.ee/initialstep

Follow Susanna

- LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/susanna-plummer/

- Working Options - https://workingoptions.org.uk/

Thanks for listening!

#initialstep #workingclass #lowsocioeconomicbackground #creativeindustry #TVandFilm #Advertising #PRandMarketing #CreativeJourney #CareerInspiration #anyonecanachievesuccess #capital #socialcapital #economiccapital #culturalcapital #socialmobility

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What does it really take to level the playing field, and is the system even designed to let that happen?

Nina Slingsby, founder of OAHA, shares her personal journey from a grant-funded school to leading meaningful change in workplace inclusion and social mobility. Her story is one of navigating systems not built with everyone in mind and choosing to rewrite the rules from the inside.

In this conversation, Nina unpacks:

🔹 Why the definition of "working class" is more personal than political and whether it still applies today

🔹 How diverse educational environments shape the way we see class, opportunity, and ourselves

🔹 The hidden role university plays in steering, or steering you away from the right career path

🔹 How mentorship and the right leadership can be the difference between stagnation and a breakthrough

🔹 The systemic barriers that quietly block career progression and how to spot them

🔹 Why location is one of the most underrated factors in access to opportunity

🔹 How organisations can work together to create change that actually sticks

This is a conversation about more than diversity initiatives and HR policy. It's about what fairness genuinely looks like in practice and why collaboration, not just intention, is what drives real systemic change.

💬 Have you experienced barriers in your career that others didn't seem to face? Share your story in the comments.

📌 Learn more about Nina's work at OAHA and the mission to create equitable workplaces for everyone.

🔔 Subscribe for more inspirational stories and insights into those from working class and low socioeconomic backgrounds!

👍 Like this video if you enjoyed Nina's story!

🗣️ Comment below with your thoughts and questions for Nina!

Follow Us:

- Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/initialstep.co.uk/

- Twitter - https://x.com/step_initial

- Apple podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/initial-step/id1758128198

- Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5ZizcM5a2HEQKcaAPToysk?si=79fb1e8a830a4ec9

- Linktree - https://linktr.ee/initialstep

Follow Nina

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ninaslingsby/

Website - www.oaha.uk

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/oahaltd/

Thanks for listening!

#initialstep #workingclass #lowsocioeconomicbackground #creativeindustry #TVandFilm #Advertising #PRandMarketing #CreativeJourney #CareerInspiration #anyonecanachievesuccess #OAHA #SocialMobility #WorkingClass #InclusionAtWork #CareerDevelopment #SystemicChange #DiversityAndInclusion #FairOpportunity #PeopleAndCulture

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In this conversation, Marisa shares her journey growing up in foster care in Essex, shaped by instability, addiction and the justice system. She reflects on how receiving funding to attend a convent boarding school exposed her to a world far removed from her roots, forcing her to adapt, blend in, and develop confidence in formal environments, while quietly carrying the stigma of being in care.

Marisa talks candidly about the pressure to attend university, the belief that it was the only route to success, and the reality of dropping out with debt and no degree. She opens up about how these experiences, alongside caring responsibilities for her mother, led her into mental health work before eventually stepping away to protect herself.

Her career in recruitment became a turning point. Drawing on empathy shaped by lived experience, Marisa championed people from working-class and disadvantaged backgrounds, sometimes taking risks others wouldn’t. From helping someone sleeping rough into employment, to later working with charities and leading DEI initiatives, she found purpose in creating access and opportunity for others.

Marisa reflects on how organisations are beginning to take social mobility more seriously, while still often failing to understand the complexity behind people’s backgrounds. She also shares what it meant to finally hear her experiences reflected in conversations around class and why she wouldn’t change her roots, seeing them as central to who she is and how she supports others today.

🔔 Subscribe for more inspirational stories and insights into those from working class and low socioeconomic backgrounds!

👍 Like if you enjoyed Marisa's journey!

🗣️ Comment below with your thoughts and questions for Marisa!

Follow Us:

- Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/initialstep.co.uk/

- Apple podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/initial-step/id1758128198

- Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5ZizcM5a2HEQKcaAPToysk?si=79fb1e8a830a4ec9

- Linktree - https://linktr.ee/initialstep

Follow Marisa:

- LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/marisa-lloyd-certrp-46677069/

Thanks for listening!

#initialstep #workingclass #lowsocioeconomicbackground #creativeindustry #TVandFilm #Advertising #PRandMarketing #CreativeJourney #CareerInspiration #anyonecanachievesuccess

#Trauma

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